No Worry’s for former Hong Kong galloper at Caulfield
Former Hong Kong galloper Dragon’s Luck has made a triumphant return to racing in Melbourne.
Now in the care of Liam Howley and racing as Why Worry, the gelding took out the GMH Fire & Safety Australia Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Leading throughout under Ethan Brown, Why Worry ($9) scored a half-length win over Prancing Spirit ($4.40) with Is It Me ($5) a further 1-½ length away third.
Why Worry was formerly prepared by Douglas Whyte and Howley revealed the sprinter had a minor bleed in Hong Kong.
“He had a little bleed up in Hong Kong and to the owner’s credit he wanted to look after him, so he sent him back here,” Howley said.
“He’s really thrived in the farm life. The change of environment has really worked for him.
“His work had been good. He had a couple of good trials and we’ve really looked after him, kept him happy and the proof is in the pudding, I guess.”
Howley has an association with Whyte where he prepares his sales horses get to a stage before they are transported to Hong Kong.
He said while he has had a few horses return from Hong Kong to his Kyneton base, Why Worry is the best performed to date.
“I do a bit of work for Douglas, and I’ve sent a few up to him,” Howley said.
“They go through the system here and then go up when ready, but this is the first one I’ve had to race down here for them.
“Feedback from Douglas early doors was that he thought he was a spring horse, so hopefully there’s something there for him.
“We’re not saying he’s a superstar, but he looks around that Listed class of horse and if we can keep turning up and doing this each time, we’ll be happy.
“Hopefully we can raise the bar a little bit off that, but it will be one step at a time.”
Howley said a firmer than expected track had helped Why Worry on Saturday.
“I’m usually one praying for rain, but with this bloke I was hoping to be on top of the ground,” Howley said.
More Racing News
Dan Morton keeps faith with 2024 Railway Stakes mare
Trainer Dan Morton has shrugged aside Super Smink’s horror barrier draw and still thinks she can win the Group 1 Swan Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday. A layer of complexity was added to Super Smink’s Railway Stakes bid after she was handed barrier 18, but Dan Morton is keeping the...
Timing right for Port Lockroy in G1 Railway Stakes bid
He’s one of five interstate raiders and the outsider of the quintet, but co-trainer, Rob Archibald believes there is a sense of timing about Port Lockroy in Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot. Rob Archibald, who shares training duties with Annabel Neasham, says Port Lockroy put himself into Railway Stakes...
Royal task for Gilded Water at local debut
A benchmark race on The Gong undercard will add some Royal flavour to the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting when a horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III makes his local debut. Four-year-old Gilded Water has been sent to Australia to continue his racing career, having started just four times in the...
Jason Collett hoping to find Express lane in The Gong
Jason Collett is resigned to the fact that he will be more reliant on luck than good management as he tries to coax another win out of Territory Express in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange. The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor in the autumn, Territory Express has a get-back racing pattern...
Improving trio to fly flag for Godolphin at Kembla Grange
Godolphin doesn’t have a representative in The Gong, but James Cummings is content to rely on a trio of up-and-coming sprinters to carry the stable’s hopes at the stand-alone Kembla Grange meeting. Fleetwood will headline the leading yard’s squad when he resumes in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m), while Pisanello and Restonica contest benchmark...
Mark Walker aims for ‘new’ hometown Cranbourne Cup
Trainer Mark Walker has a good record when in form New Zealand gallopers land in Australia. Walker’s latest ‘import’ is It’s A Wild Night who will have his first Australian outing in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) on Saturday. It’s A Wild Night arrived at Walker’s Cranbourne base just over a week ago...
Railway Stakes 2024 timing perfect for Baker’s Bel
In-form mare Belclare will need to overcome a wide alley to land her first Australian Group One win in the Railway Stakes at Ascot, and connections believe Nash Rawiller is the perfect man for the job. A two-time victor at the highest level in New Zealand, Belclare joined the Sydney stable of Bjorn...
Trainer Gavin Bedggood chasing Fortune in The Meteorite
Gavin Bedggood hopes the decision to take Oscar’s Fortune to Cranbourne for a midweek gallop will pay off handsomely on Saturday. Oscar’s Fortune runs in the $1 million The Meteorite (1200m), a new ‘slot race’ that Southside Racing, a merged entity of the Cranbourne and Pakenham Clubs, runs for the first time. The former...
John Stewart eyes Melbourne with 2024 Japan Cup fancy
Goliath faces one of the toughest tasks in racing this weekend, beating the Japanese at home in their biggest race, but John Stewart is already planning his next moves with his star recruit and Australia is on the itinerary. The ambitious American has quickly become a powerful investor in Australian racing and...
Hedged poised to give The Warra rivals a trim-up
The Magic Millions carnival is the campaign focal point for promising sprinter Hedged, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping he can knock off a feature race along the way. The gelding will resume in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, his first start...